August Newsletter from Senator Neal Hunt

8/12/2019 August Newsletter from Senator Neal Hunt

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LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER

August 7, 2014

THE LARGEST TEACHER PAY RAISE IN STATE HISTORY

I joined Governor McCrory, Representative Dollar, Budget Director Art Pope, and incomingBudget Director Lee Roberts at the Executive Mansion as Gov. McCrory signed the budget

(Photo Credit: Corey Lowenstein, News & Observer)

After many weeks of deliberation, the House and Senate have

agreed on a final budget and today I was happy to join the Governor

at the signing of the budget at the Executive Mansion. During thesepast few weeks, I served on the conference committee assigned to

settle the differences between the House and Senate budgets. A

goal of the Senate was to allow open conference committees to

allow the public information on our progress. It may have taken a

little longer, but this has been by-far the most transparent budget

process in the ten years I have served in the General Assembly.

Another goal of the Senate was to provide a significant teacher pay

raise. For far too long, our teacher pay has been abysmal, ranking

SENATOR NEAL HUNT

Proudly Representing WakeCounty in the North Carolina

Senate

15thDistrict

LEGISLATIVE OFFICE

300 N. Salisbury Street,

Room 309

Raleigh, NC 27603

(919)733-5850

[email protected]

DISTRICT OFFICE

2600 Fairview Road

Raleigh, NC 27608

(919)781-3464
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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near the bottom nationwide. Im pleased to announce that this

$21.25 billion budget provides the largest teacher pay raise in North

Carolina history.

The largest previous appropriation to teacher pay raises was in

2006-07. The amount that year was around $242 million. This year,

we spend $282 million. Even if we were to account for inflation, our

teacher pay plan is the largest in history.

The $282 million in teacher pay raises will dramatically improve

North Carolinas competitiveness nationally. Teachers will see an

average of seven percent increase in pay. That 7% is calculated on

base pay plus longevity!

We have replaced our archaic 37-step teacher pay system with a

six-step schedule and a transparent compensation package. In

addition, under current law, a teacher transferring from a different

state would start on step 0 in North Carolina. This budget allows

out-of-state teachers hired by North Carolina to start at the step they

were at while employed by their old school system, allowing our

state to recruit the best and brightest teachers.

Discussing the budget with Speaker Thom Tillis and Sen. Harry Brown on the Senate floor.

Ive received numerous emails and phone calls from teachers upset

over our teacher pay plan. The North Carolina Association of

Educators (NCAE) has been misleading their members into

believing our budget eliminates longevity pay for public school

teachers. As explained above, this is simply not true.

[email protected]

STANDING COMMITTEES

Appropriations, Co-Chair

Commerce

Finance

Health Care

Program Evaluation

Redistricting

Transportation

VOTING RECORD

BILLS INTRODUCED
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://ncleg.net/gascripts/voteHistory/MemberVoteHistory.pl?sSession=2013&nMMUserID=200&sChamber=Shttp://ncleg.net/gascripts/voteHistory/MemberVoteHistory.pl?sSession=2013&nMMUserID=200&sChamber=Shttp://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=200&Chamber=Shttp://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=200&Chamber=Shttp://www.twitter.com/SenatorNealHunthttp://www.facebook.com/SenatorNealHunthttp://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=200&Chamber=Shttp://ncleg.net/gascripts/voteHistory/MemberVoteHistory.pl?sSession=2013&nMMUserID=200&sChamber=Smailto:[email protected]


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Under current law, teachers are paid longevity once a year in a

lump sum. Under our budget proposal, longevity pay has been

included in a teacher's monthly base pay, so they will now receive

longevity pay on a monthly

basis.

The chart above shows where public school teachers will fit under

the new pay scale (with longevity). It is an average salary increase

of 7% (please note that this chart does not include local

supplements, which our budget does not change in any way).

In addition, our budget:

Funds teacher assistants in grades K-3;

Preserves current Medicaid eligibility;

Provides most state employees a $1,000 pay raise and five

bonus vacation days; and

Increases pay for step-eligible Highway Patrol Troopers

between five and six percent.

Most importantly, there are zero tax increases in this budget. We

have prioritized state spending to streamline state governments

efficiency and reduce its waste. Im proud of the budget we have.

Im confident our fiscally responsible actions will move our state

further along the pathway to prosperity as our unemployment rate

continues to drop faster than almost all the other states in the

country.


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SENATOR THOM GOOLSBY

Senator Thom Goolsby, who represented all of New Hanover

County, resigned this week. Earlier this year, he announced that he

would not seek reelection in order to spend more time with his wife

and young children.

The New Hanover County Republican Party Executive Committee

will now recommend and Governor McCrory will appoint a

replacement to serve until January 2015.

I had the honor of serving with Sen. Goolsby since 2011. I admired

his legal knowledge, his conservatism, and his public speaking

skills. He will be missed in Raleigh, and I wish him all the best.

THANK YOU

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the North Carolina

Senate! Please contact my office if you have any questions or

concerns.

Sincerely,

Neal Hunt

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August Newsletter from Senator Neal Hunt